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The spooky sultan
A Turkish Sultan supposedly once stayed at a home on Rue Duaphine in the late 1800s; he was actually in flight from his homeland, fleeing from his disgruntled brother who was then the ruler of Turkey (also known as the Sultan). The visitor had fled throughout Europe, but finally felt he had found safety in New Orleans. Staying at this vacated home of a distinguished Creole businessman, the Sultan lived an opulent lifestyle complete with Oriental surroundings which he installed, servants, and his personal harem. Also at the house was his brother's wife, whom he had stolen, and some of his wealth, possibly in jewels or in other property. It was a lavish and decadent scene which was to last but a few months.
According to legend, one day a terrible storm arose; and on that day a strange ship appeared at the port of New Orleans. It stayed one day, then left. At this time, neighbors of the Sultan discovered the house to be unseemly quiet with the large gate to the courtyard opened. Some brave neighbors entered the house and discovered a scene of destruction.
They found dead servants and five harem girls with their heads chopped off. The Sultan too had been murdered, and his body was buried in the garden. Upon his grave was a sign proclaiming him to be a traitor.
No one knows who killed the people in the Sultan's house; most likely the killers were assassins sent by the ruler of Turkey for revenge.
Many years later the old house fell into disuse, and the the tales of ghosts surfaced. A subsequent resident there fell to her death from the balcony; many claimed she was pushed by a ghost. Superstitions grew as well. For example, it was believed that anybody who sat on the front steps of the house would have bad luck.
People claimed to hear strange, Asiatic music coming from the house, as well as screams and the sounds of footsteps -- all this when no one was present in the house. Some claimed to have seen the ghost of a man adorned in flowing Oriental robes; perhaps this was an apparition of the slain Sultan himself.
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